Economy of Communion - a new culture

Insert in Città Nuova

Number 23-24/2013 - 10-25 December, 2013

from the Report EoC 2012-2013, about "Economy of Communion - a new culture" number 38 - insert in Città Nuova number 23/24 - 2013 - December, 2013

«God is always at work» was the beautiful slogan launched by Chiara Lubich at the foundation of the Lionello Bonfanti Business Park. God is always at work, multiplying the few loaves and fish we are willing to share. This report is our way of saying to all the EoC entrepreneurs and their employees «Thank you».

Luigino Bruni and the International Commission

The New City Magazin (Rivista Città Nuova) contains an insert “Economy of Communion - a new culture (Economia di Comunione – una cultura nuova)” will be sent upon request by email: info@edc–online.org.

24 months from the end of two decades of the EoC Project, we present an initial record of new achievements reached and prospects opened by the EoC

by Alberto Ferrucci

Since celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the EoC project in 2011, we have set forth several clear objectives: growth among and between EoC enterprises; alleviation of poverty of every neighbor in need; collaboration with those who work for a more humane economy; and a deepened dialogue with contemporary culture.

Where do we stand at present? The Italian AIPEC Association (Italian Entrepreneurs for an Economy of Communion) was launched with 140 members; a School of Civil Economy was founded at the Lionello Business Park; interviews with our entrepreneurs in newspapers and on TV have increased and every week a national newspaper runs an editorial on the EoC’s unique proposal, which is transmitted over the internet in six languages; in the US, the Company Cube has been made available as a mobile app, which suggests an aspect of the EoC’s values to liveeach day.

Uncover talent; provide a consistent basis for courage; put in all the innovation capacity possible; EoC startups mitigate the crisis

Samantha states: “Everything began in July 2010. I attended the first Summer School of Civil Economy in Ostuni. And so, launching out from our studies, we began to think of what was needed on the local level.” There have been more than a few obstacles to overcome, such as the red tape that would have held back many – except the “partners four and friends evermore” – from the “challenging” work that needed to be done to transform a semi-abandoned building into a pint-size playland.

The non-profit Sunbeam Nursery cooperative held its grand opening on October 25, 2013. “It was the fulfillment of all our hopes and dreams,” explains Samantha, “which after so much effort, selfless sacrifice and determination were finally becoming a reality.”

Two young economists have assessed the validity of the current system of allocating contributions in various areas of the globe

In August 2013 “A Technical Report on Social Assistance in EoC” prepared by J. Debbane and C. Viano, two young economists (the former, a Syrian, and the latter, an Italian) on the functioning of the EoC system of aid to indigents, was handed over to the international commission of the Economy of Communion. The report was financed by an AIEC scholarship at the Sophia University.

The objectives of the research were as follows:1) Identify the presence of any gaps in the data collection device and in the presentation of the same.2) Analyze the information available to come up with a picture of the activities carried out between 1992 and 2012.3) Make recommendations to improve the current system.

2,250 families and more than 1,500 people involved in productive activities were supported with the use of corporate resources and private contributions in the final 2012-2013

by Gian Maria Bidone

The EoC set in motion throughout the world a circuit of communion where the central axis are the companies and their entrepreneurs; the 980,000 euros they shared in 2013 represent an increase of 27 percent over the previous year, contributed in particular by the significant profits of companies from Argentina, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, South Eastern Europe and Germany; also worth mentioning are the new contributions from companies in South Korea, Côte D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uruguay. This is an increase that substantially compensates for the decrease in the extraordinary contributions of individuals.

During the year, 2,250 families from five continents were assisted through direct contributions in the areas of feeding, housing, schooling and health care. In addition, development projects were started or continued through productive activities that have directly benefited more or less 1,535 people in Bolivia, the Philippines and Brazil.

Aproagro: three pilot companies thrive thanks to the resolve of the poorest community in Brazil

Today’s Brazil presents itself on the international scene with a growing awareness of its political, economic and cultural clout. However, it still suffers from many social wounds inflicted by the huge inequalities in the way the country’s immense wealth is distributed.It was from this land, and more precisely from a community - which took its name from a former slave who had rebelled like the Spartacus of old - that an initiative was begun: one that marks a quantum leap for the EoC. This is an experience born “from the ground up,” with hardy roots deeply planted in the community and characterized by tenacity and resoluteness.

We are located in the municipality of Branquinha, Alagoas. Here, scientific research undertaken in 1998 identified a community in the territory of Zumbi dos Palmares with the highest levels of poverty in the whole of Brazil. In 2011 a pilot project was begun inthis former latifundium¹, to create an endogenous² process of job and income creation especially for young people.

When the risk a bank takes returns a great human value that benefits the total growth of a community

Melanie is 23 years old. She lives in a small city of the Philippines. Every day, she travels several kilometers to work, crossing paths with dozens of women. These are “poor entrepreneurs” who, thanks to the micro loans that Melanie obtains for them, can grow their businesses and be creators of their own wealth.

Melanie is an employee of a bank, but not just any bank. She works for Bangko Kabayan which besides being a successful rural bank, is also an EoC business. Last summer, as part of my studies in international cooperation, I had the opportunity to carry out a two-month internship at Bangko Kabayan and to witness the extraordinary mission of aiding the community, a mission which this bank carries out through Melanie’s work and that of many others.

The October 2013 meeting at the permanent Mariapolis in Portugal, which brought together 75 heads of commissions, associations and EoC business parks from 16 countries, took place in an atmosphere of open and fruitful dialogue. Everyone had an opportunity to share thoughts and ideas that had been gathered during preparatory meetings held in their respective countries. The goal was to define the bold outlines for the development of the EoC project over the next few decades (2013 –2031). It was the first time that people responsible for the development structures of the EoC were coming together to take stock. These included the commissions dedicated to overseeing education in the culture of communion; dialogue with scholars and students; the needy; and EoC member companies.

The course on economy and management, collaboration between the Economy of Communion and the Graduate Institute

This year about two-thirds of the profits collected from the Economy of Communion for the training in the philosophy of the EoC were allocated to support the activities of the Sophia University Institute. It is not only a financial collaboration, but also led to the inclusion of the Economy and Management course at the Providence University in Taichung, Taiwan, and established a partnership for academic training in the EoC. This initiative was prompted by a Congress held last April at the same university, examining the thought of Chiara Lubich and the culture of unity.

Business parks set mature expectations at the conclusion of a bright and productive year

The year has been one of the richest and most productive in the EoC’s 22 years. The starting of the Italian School of Civil Economy in the Lionello Business Park, and the taking-off of AIPEC are two of the most visible results. As are the development of the EoC in Africa and the spreading of training courses for young people in several parts of the world. We must be grateful especially to the leaders of the commissions, the associations and the business parks throughout the world and to entrepreneurs – those who for decades have lived the life of communion and shared their business profits, as well as the new entrepreneurs who are just arriving attracted by Chiara Lubich’s prophetic vision.

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